How to Do a Luau Without Food on the Big Island

Looking for a luau without food on the Big Island? Unfortunately, there aren’t any luaus you can attend at a discounted price if you forgo eating at the buffet.

HOWEVER, you can create your own custom luau experience by mixing and matching free hula and Polynesian performances, eating authentic Hawaiian food at local spots instead, and taking a cultural activities class.

Let me show you how to experience aspects of a luau that’s more budget-friendly and tailored to your interests.

How to See Hula & Polynesian Dancers for FREE

Hula performance and lesson at farmers market with lady teacher in front of random passerbyers joining — *Hula performance and lesson at farmers market*

While there are many cultural performances around the island throughout the year, it can be hard to pre-determine where and when you’ll be able to catch them.

I’ve run into impromptu hula dances at a farmers market and hula performers during a live music night at restaurants, but you can’t plan for these.

Regular Hula and Polynesian Shows You Can Count On

tahiti dancers in orange and white at the keauhou center performance with audience looking on — *Keauhou Shopping Center’s Friday Hula*

Don’t fret!

I’ve rounded up these free events where you CAN plan ahead to see hula and Polynesian dancers:

Queens Marketplace Hula Show
- When: Mondays, 6pm
- Where: Coronation Pavilion
- Fire Dancing? No

Kings’ Shops Fires of Polynesia
- When: 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 8pm
- Where: In the courtyard
- Fire Dancing? Yes

Keauhou Shopping Center’s Friday Hula
- When: Fridays, 6pm
- Where: In the courtyard
- Fire Dancing? Yes

Volcano Art Center Hula Performances
- When: 2nd Saturdays, 10:30am
- Where: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at the kahua hula (hula platform) near the Volcano Art Center Gallery
- Fire Dancing? No
Hilo Hula Tuesdays
- When: Tuesdays, 12pm
- Where: Hilo Farmer’s Market Stage
- Fire Dancing? No
- Bonus: Free lei making lessons
Keiki Hula Show
- When: Last Tuesday of the month, 5:30pm
- Where: Tasty Tuesday Kona night market at Outrigger Kona Resort
- Fire Dancing? No

“Cheat” Ways to Watch an Actual Luau Performance

All the luaus on the Big Island are held on hotel resort grounds, which means some of these properties have rooms with views of the luau, some better than others.

There are also a couple ways to see the luau from the sidelines:

Island Breeze Luau
- From Kailua Pier you can watch the the royal procession arriving in canoes and watch the performers on stage across the water
- Book an oceanfront room at Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel and possibly get peek-a-boo luau views*

💁‍♀️Tab’s Trip Tip: If you show up to the luau grounds around 8am on a luau day you’ll likely see the pit master burying the pig in the imu (underground oven).

Voyagers of the Pacific Luau
- See the luau from Don’s Mai Tai bar or the hotel pool
- Book a partial ocean room in the Alii or Lagoon Towers at Royal Kona Resort for a chance to watch the luau from your balcony*

Feast & Fire Luau
- Book a resort view room at Outrigger Kona Resort (Ehukai or Kualono wings)*

Waikoloa Beach Sunset Luau
- Book an ocean view or oceanfront room at Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa*

*Hotel rooms are not guaranteed but you can always request what you want and they will accommodate when they can.

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Cultural Celebrations Featuring Hula Performances & Hawaiian Arts

These annual and seasonal events around the Big Island are a great way to find traditional hula performances, live Hawaiian music, and opportunities to try your hand at cultural crafts like lei-making or kapa stamping.

Hula kahiko kāne performer with leaf sash and tattoo on chest — Hula kahiko kāne group at Merrie Monarch Festival
photo credit: Thomas Tunsch

If your trip lines up with one of these festivals, you’ll want to plan your itinerary around them.

April

Merrie Monarch Festival – the biggest hula festival in the world, this is a week-long cultural event of hula competitions and celebrations in Hilo. There are ticketed events of hula competitions and performances, free hula demonstrations at hotels, and a flamboyant parade of hula competitors and pa’u riders to finish off the week!

May

Waikoloa Lei Day Festival – a whole day celebrating leis! Admire stunning entries in the lei contest and try your own hand at lei-making. Throughout the day, there’s live entertainment with hula performances and traditional Hawaiian games like ʻUlu Maika (stone bowling), Moa Pahe‘e (dart sliding), or Kōnane (Hawaiian checkers). You’ll also get to learn about cultural crafts like ʻOhe Kapala, where carved bamboo stamps are used to create detailed patterns on kapa, or bark cloth.

June

Hawai’i Kuauli Pacific & Asian Cultural Festival – 3-day event will be packed with fashion, food, cultural expressions, a hula ho’ike, a firkenife competition, a culinary event and so much more
King Kamehameha Day Celebration Parade & Hoʻolauleʻa – a floral parade in Kona has floats adorned in the flowers and colors of the Hawaiian Islands, regal pa‘u riders on horseback representing each of the eight islands. Other parade performers feature hula halau and marching bands. After the parade, enjoy a ho‘olaule‘a (music and art festival) at Hulihe‘e Palace, including hula performances and a free concert featuring top Hawaiian recording artists.

September

He Hali‘a Aloha No Ka Queen Lili‘uokalani Festival – Queen Lili‘uokalani’s birthday is celebrated in Hilo and commemorates the historical importance of Lili‘uokalani Gardens featuring a variety of Hawaiian activities such as music, hula, art displays, artisanal crafts, culinary delights, and live demonstrations.

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Get Lei’d

selfie of Me with a sad shell lei at the Voyagers of the Pacific Luau witha mai tai in hand — *Me with a sad shell lei at the Voyagers of the Pacific Luau*

One of my favorite touches to a luau is receiving a welcome lei. It instantly puts me in a festive mood for the evening.

I personally feel a little jipped when luaus don’t give out fresh flower leis. Is that just me?

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to attend a luau to get lei’d.

There are alternative ways to get a flower, shell, or kukui nut lei like:

Schedule a lei greeting at the airport if you would like a local to hand you one upon landing on the island.
Buy your own fresh flower lei at the airport gift shop or grocery/department stores. They tend to run about $20+ each. Gift shops like an ABC Store will have plenty of shell and kukui nut leis.
Book a stay at a hotel with a lei greeting upon check-in like:

Eat Traditional Hawaiian Food

*Lau lau with macaroni salad and rice, a classic traditional Hawaiian dish.*

The word “luau” literally means”feast” so attending a luau without eating is kind’ve defeating the purpose of going.

However, you don’t need to pay for a luau to try traditional Hawaiian foods.

Typical luau buffet dishes can include but aren’t limited to:

Kalua pork
BBQ chicken
Steamed or fried fish
Poi
Macaroni salad
Sweet potato salad
Fresh green salad
Bread rolls
Poke
Poi
Haupia
Fresh fruit
Various tropical fruit cakes

You can find these same dishes at many local restaurants around the Big Island, and they’ll often taste better too.

Places like:

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue – All over the island
Kaaloa’s Super J’s – Captain Cook
Hawaiian Style Cafe – Hilo & Waimea
Kuhio Grille – Hilo
Cafe 100 – Hilo
808 Grindz – Kona
Pine Tree Cafe – Kona
Da Poke Shack – Kona
Randy’s Huli Chicken – Kealakekua

Learn Traditional Hawaiian Crafts

Craft demonstration at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (I don't remember what this one is called). looks like knitting lace with hemp string — *Craft demonstration at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (I don’t remember what this one is called)*

A well-rounded luau doesn’t just have food and dancing but also includes a hands-on cultural activity before dinner.

These could include:

Lei making
Tattoo art
Hula lesson
Weaving demonstration

There are other places around the Big Island where you can learn these traditional arts on their own, often for free or at a much lower cost than attending a luau.

Ways to participate in these activities outside of a luau are:

Your Hotel – most resorts offer daily activities that include learning a Hawaiian art or craft. You’ll have to check your hotel’s schedule when you arrive to see what’s offered.

Aloali’i – cultural workshops where you can book hula lessons, make leis, or other traditional Hawaiian activities.
- When: All week, various times
- Where: Aloali’i Room at the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
- Fee: Varies per activity

Craft Demonstrations at Puʻuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park – plan your visit to the national park on a day that offers live demonstrations by local artisans like lei making, ‘ohe kāpala (bamboo stamping), and Ulana ‘ie’ie (weaving the roots of climbing screwpine)
- When: Mondays-Wednesdays, various times
- Where: Puʻuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park
- Fee: Free (park admission fees apply)

Konane (Hawaiian Checkers) Lessons – park volunteer Ed Dowling teaches you about the history of the ancient Hawaiian Polynesian two-player strategy board game and how to play it.
- When: Tuesdays, 10am-1pm
- Where: Pu`ukohola Heiau National Historic Site
- Fee: Free

Aloha Fridays Cultural Demonstrations – learn about Hawaiian arts and crafts like lau hala weaving, lei making, or ukelele from local artisans.
- When: Fridays, 11am-1pm
- Where: Volcano Arts Center Gallery in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Fee: Free (park admission fees apply)

Family Portraits

One of the final offerings at a luau is getting a “professional” photo taken of your group — everyone’s dressed in their luau best, the lighting is golden from sunset, and the tropical backdrop is romantic.

But unless you’ve sprung for a VIP ticket, you’ll end up paying $25+ for a small 4×6 print. And to be honest? The photo quality is pretty embarrassing.

You can absolutely get the same shot by asking a friendly passerby to snap a photo of your group at the beach during sunset. With a quick phone edit, it’ll look just as good (if not better), and you can print it at Walmart for less than $0.25.

Just Book the Luau

If, after all this, you decide that you do want the full luau experience — that’s totally okay!

It’s a bucket list activity for a reason: the music, the dancing, the food, the atmosphere — it’s definitely a fun, one-time activity and you won’t feel left out when your friends talk about the luaus they went to.

If you go this route, I always recommend booking a luau close to where you’re staying, ideally at your hotel. That way, you don’t have to stress about who’s driving after a few mai tais.

However, as each luau offers a slightly different experiences and amenities, pick one that suits your interests more (hellooooo bottomless mai tais!).